Team USA men’s basketball WINS the Olympic gold medal as LeBron James and Stephen Curry overwhelm France and rising star Victor Wembanyama

Team USA men’s basketball squad have won a fifth straight Olympic gold medal after holding off France 98-87 in Saturday’s gold medal match.

The host nation, led by rising star and reigning NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama, had an impressive tournament and cut the USA’s lead to just three late in the game – but a cast of LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry ultimately proved too much.

Curry, who finished the game with a team-high 24 points, caught fire in the latter stages of the game as he hit four three-pointers from the 2:48 mark on to see the Americans to the finish line.

James finished the game with 14 points, six rebounds and nine assists while Kevin Durant and Devin Booker both added 15 points for the eventual winners.

Wembanyama impressed in the loss with 26 points and seven rebounds but his individual brilliance wasn’t enough. 

James also overwhelmed the hosts France to the tune of 14 points and nine assists

Victor Wembanyama starred for France as they fell short of beating the USA in the finals

The USA lead was 14 early in the third, looking poised to pull away.

But the offense quickly went cold and when Evan Fournier connected on a 3-pointer with 3:05 left in the quarter the lead was down to 65-59 – a 12-4 run by the hosts.

And with a chance to go up double-digits headed to the fourth, a big USA blunder gave France another jolt of momentum. Anthony Edwards and Durant got their signals crossed on a pass that led to a turnover, Nando De Colo scored to beat the buzzer and the U.S. lead was only 72-66 going into the final 10 minutes.

From there, Curry and the heavy favorites heading into these Olympics did enough to avoid the ignominy of a loss in the finals.

‘I think we might be the only team in the world whose fans are ashamed of them if they get a silver medal,’ head coach Steve Kerr said on the NBC broadcast afterwards. ‘That’s the pressure that we face.’

More to follow.